Growing a family: 2011

Saturday, December 31, 2011

Christmas with the Pfeffers: Recap 5 of 5

On December 26, we drove down to Lakeside for Chrismtas with the Pfeffers. It was a beautiful sunny day in Southern California so we got to spend some time outside watching birds, doggies, and everything else move around.

By this point, Andrew knew what to do with presents! We crawled right over to the present stack and starting opening the wrapping paper.

Grandma bought Andrew a Little Tykes swing for the front porch.

He became very serious when he opened his push gear car.

He liked pushing it, but even more he liked to take it apart.

Grandpa messing with it too.

Andrew had a stellar first Christmas and was so spoiled by everyone who loves him.

Friday, December 30, 2011

Christmas Day Church and Bennetts: Recap 4 of 5

After opening presents and naps for Andrew and Daddy, we headed to Faith Fellowship in La Palma (my dad's church). Last year while Dad preached his Christmas message, we teased him that he's have an eight month old goofing off during his sermon this year. While Andrew wasn't bad, he did do his fair share of moving around and spitting. Everyone around us was paying attention and smiling at him, so I don't think anyone minded.

After church classic pictures

(I'm pretty sure there is one of these from every year of my life)

The steps going up to the platform were just too much fun for him not to climb.

After church, we went back to my parents' house. While Andrew took his nap, we ate a yummy meal of ham, potatoes, and salad made my by mom. After changing into our PJs and listening to Melissa read the true Christmas story from Luke 2:1-20, we opened presents!

Andrew helped everyone open presents and got into everything!

After awhile, we got tired of chasing him around so we strapped him into my parents chair top high chair. It worked out wonderfully. He ate puffs as we opened presents one at a time and enjoyed ourselves.

Grandma, Grandpa and Aunt Melissa spoiled Andrew!

Grandma made Andrew bigger hooded towels!

Among other things, Aunt Melissa bought Andrew a crawl-through tunnel. This is, by far, his favorite thing to play with. I will eventually be able to get a stinkin' hilarious video of his laughing as he crawls in and around it, but I keep forgetting.

My parents got Andrew a ride/push Little Tikes car. He loves being pushed on it and has tried to walk with it, but it moves a bit too fast for him at this point. I'm sure in the upcoming weeks, he'll get better.

Christmas Day at Home: Recap 3 of 5

Andrew woke up nice and early on Christmas morning, "excited" to play with mommy and daddy. Instead of waiting, we started the present opening at 5:30 am. We started with our stockings!

We let Andrew explore the presents a bit while Mommy and Daddy opened their stockings.

Exploring turned into smashing into the presents and tree--opps.

We opened our presents to each other. Dave's main present was already opened and used (his XBox 360), but he also opened socks, undershirts, a new wallet, and a photo mouse pad and a frame to take to work.

I opened a new blow-driver, a Brighton Mom keychain, and a Kindle Touch!

Andrew received a tool rattle set and a star shape stacker from Mommy and Daddy. In his stocking, he had puffs, wagon wheels, a new bib, and a book.

Santa brought Andrew a giant container of foam, stacking blocks.

After opening presents, I made everyone French toast. Andrew enjoyed his 1/2 slice.

After breakfast, Andrew played with his new toys as mommy cleaned up and Daddy went back to sleep. Awhile later, Andrew crashed for his morning nap (7 am) and Mommy got read for church.

Thursday, December 29, 2011

Christmas Eve with our little Family: Recap 2 of 5

After our long day with my mom's family, we came home to start a new tradition. So far in our marriage, we have pretty much done what my family did as our 'traditions' at Christmas, but I was thinking that it would be nice to start some of our own. I'm sure in years to come it will matter more because Andrew will actually know what's going on, but I wanted to start at least one thing new this year. We decided that on Christmas Eve after our long day that we'd open a few presents from people that we weren't going to see on Christmas. I had several presents for Andrew from people at work, his secret Santa, and his aunts in Oklahoma.

We moved the couch away from the front of the tree, I quickly put up a few of the plastic (shatterproof) balls I'd bought, and Dave introduced Andrew to the tree. I sat back and enjoyed his curiosity.

Andrew opened a few packages, which he LOVED.

He played with a few of his new toys.

Andrew headed off to bed a bit later than normal (9:15 pm).

Santa came and filled our stockings and left Andrew a nice present to open first thing in the morning...

Wednesday, December 28, 2011

Christmas Eve with the Langevin Family: Recap 1 of 5

We're recovering from Christmas at our house. Going non-stop from Saturday-Tuesday, left Daddy with a horrible cough, Mommy with a migraine, and Andrew actually WELL (talk about role-reversals) yesterday. It's a good thing that I have another few days off before going back to work!

On Saturday, Christmas Eve, we headed to Lakewood at 8 am. We arrived at my parents house and Andrew had time to play with Grandma and Grandpa. Grandma made his is very own stocking that matches Mommy, Daddy, and Aunt Melissa's stockings. He thought it was the best thing on the planet.

Grandma had a much bigger tree up than we do and Andrew could access it, so he spent most of the time standing at the packages, trying to reach the lower ornaments. I thought it would be a good time to give her his hand print ornament to hang on the tree.

As Andrew played, Grandma got lunch ready and watched Andrew move and touch every single thing in the living room, dining room, and kitchen. It's a good thing that they baby proofed and put locks on the kitchen cabinets.

At lunch time, Great Grandma T and Grandpa came over (my mom's dad). Andrew pretended to be shy and clung to Mommy's leg as GGrandpa played peek-a-boo.

Andrew likes them and they LOVE to give him attention!

My mom's house is beautifully decorated. This picture is mainly to just show it off!

GGrandma T was tickled pink over the Jailed Reindeer (singing 'Grandma Got Ran over by a Reindeer') from Andrew.

After lunch and presents, we headed over to Aunt Luanne's house (my mom's sister) to visit with the rest of the Langevin family. Andrew chomped away on a sour dough roll!